Quercus filed a complaint against the Covilhã City Council for the felling of 1400 cork oaks. The environmental organization alerts to the massive destruction of trees within the scope of the expansion of the Tortosendo Industrial Park, located in this municipality of Beira Interior.
The measure that allows the felling is contemplated in the Municipal Master Plan, which means that the industrial expansion was previously approved at the territorial planning level. The Covilhã municipality thus has legal backing to carry out this project.
In its defense, the city council argues that the expansion of the industrial park is necessary to create an offer of available land for businesses. The municipal executive justifies that it needs to attract more businesses and large-scale investments to the region, which requires the provision of extensive industrial areas.
Cork oaks are a protected species in Portugal due to their ecological and economic value, especially in the Beira Interior region, where cork production represents an important traditional activity. Quercus alerts to the negative environmental impact of this decision, which contrasts with the objectives of forest preservation and sustainability.
